Us Against the Galaxy
by Katerinaki
Summary: Poe chuckled. "It's always going to be me and you against the galaxy," he told her, firmly. "You can be damn sure about that." Halla never expected to meet her best friend thanks to a tree, but the galaxy works in mysterious ways and Poe Dameron isn't your average friend. Once a one-shot, now a collection of episodes featuring Poe and my OC, Halla Thane!
1. Part 1

Us Against the Galaxy

By: Katerinaki

Published: 12/20/2015

Beta'ed: No

Notes: This features an OC, Halla Thane, and Poe Dameron from Star Wars The Force Awakens. It features mostly back story for Poe, but there is **ONE POSSIBLE SPOILER** , so I don't recommend you read this until you've seen the movie. I hope you enjoy.

There was a new family in the house that was built just over the ridge. Halla had seen their speeder land just a few moments ago and scampered off to watch from the same tree she'd watched the builders build. Now she watched as a man and a woman climbed out of the speeder, and to her great delight, a boy not much older than her! They had dark hair and tan skin and they looked nice, for all the mama and papa wore the uniforms of the Alliance. Halla knew of the Alliance. There was a base not far from her home, and her mama told her not to go there, even though the guards were nice and sometimes gave her sweets. These people looked nice. The mama was carrying a little tree in her hand, cradling it to her chest. That was strange. After all, there were hundreds of thousands of trees on Yavin 4. Why this little one was so important, when there were so many bigger ones?

Curious, Halla crept closer, though she stayed high in the trees so that the new people couldn't see her. She watched as they didn't go into the house, but to a small garden behind it. There, the boy and the papa dug a hole and the mama planted it and watered it. They tended to it so carefully, as if it were made of gold. Only once the tree was placed in its new home did they at last enter their own.

Halla waited a while, but they didn't come back out again and at last she decided it was clear. Carefully, she climbed down into the garden and stepped gingerly over the fresh soil until she came to the little tree placed at the center. It was unlike any other tree on Yavin 4. Perhaps it was a tree from this family's homeworld? Halla wondered if its leaves felt different from those of her homeworld.

"What are you doing?!"

Halla snatched her hand back. The boy stood on the back porch and he looked angry.

"Don't touch it. It's special!"

"I'm sorry," Halla called back, tucking her hands behind her back like she did in the store when mama told her not to touch anything. She backed up as the boy hopped off the porch and hurried to make sure the tree was still undisturbed.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Halla insisted.

"You can't touch it, ever," the boy growled. "It was a special present for my mom and dad."

That was strange.

"They were given a _tree_? But that's silly! There are trees everywhere."

"Not like this one."

"Poe!"

Both children jumped as Poe's mother came out too.

"Poe did you remember to—"She stopped as she saw Halla and smiled. "Oh, have you made a friend?"

"She's not my friend," Poe growled. "And she was trying to hurt the tree!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not, was not!"

"Was too, was too!"

"Poe! That's enough," his mother scolded. "I'm sure she wasn't going to hurt the tree. What's your name?"

Halla hesitated. Her mama told her to be careful, especially with people she didn't know. But the lady smiled softly.

"My name is Shara Dameron. And this is my son, Poe."

"I'm Halla Thane," she said softly.

"'Halla'? What a beautiful name."

"Mama says it was my grandma's name."

"Does your mama know you're here? Where's your home?"

"That way," Halla replied, pointing through the trees and over the ridge. It wasn't too far away, though if Mama knew she was there, she probably wouldn't be too happy. She wasn't supposed to go beyond the creek.

Maybe it was because Shara was a mama too, but she seemed to figure out pretty quickly that Halla's mama didn't know she was there.

"How about Poe and I give you a ride back, hm? Your mama is probably worried."

Knowing Shara was right and wanting to take a ride in the shiny speeder out front, Halla nodded. "Okay."

"But Mom!"

"Poe, be nice," Shara admonished, placing a hand on his shoulder. Poe crossed his arms, grumbling under his breath. Shara sighed but still reached down to ruffle his dark curly hair.

"Mom!" Poe protested, shooing her hands away. He tried to keep a frown, but Halla could see the corners of his mouth start to perk up. To cover it he huffed and made a big show of stomping around the side of the house to the front.

"Come, Halla," Shara said, offering her hand. Halla took it and together they walked down the path to the front where Poe already waited in back seat of the speeder. Shara helped Halla climb in next to Poe before taking the controls. It really was the nicest speeder Halla had ever been in, even nicer than the one they'd taken to the spaceport when they visited Auntie Charal. Poe seemed to like it to; that is, he didn't stop smiling until he saw Halla looking at him and then he stuck his tongue out.

"Poe, I saw that!"

"Sorry," Poe muttered.

They were back at Halla's house in minutes and Halla's mother Jzora answered the door.

"Halla! What are you doing? Where have you—?" But the leaves and twigs in Halla's hair and the dirt on her tunic told Jzora exactly where she'd been. Jzora smiled at Shara with embarrassment as she tried to get rid of some of the leaves. "Thank you for bringing her home."

"It was no problem."

"I'm Jzora, and I suppose you've met Halla."

"I'm Shara, this is my son Poe. We live in the house just over the ridge."

Jzora eyed Shara's tan uniform and black boots. "You're with the Alliance?"

Shara fingered her tunic and Halla thought she looked a bit sad. "Not any more. I was a pilot and my husband was with the Pathfinders, but we've retired."

"You're a pilot!" Halla exclaimed. "Did you shoot any TIE fighters?"

"Of course she did!" Poe replied. "My mom is the best pilot in the Alliance."

"Halla!"

"Poe!"

"Sorry mama."

"But you are, mom!"

Jzora started steering Halla towards the house. "I think that's been enough excitement for one day."

"Mama, you should've seen this tree that they have. Poe says it's a special tree."

"Alright, sweetie. Thank you for bringing her home. I'm so sorry, again."

"It's no problem at all. And she's welcome anytime. Come, Poe."

Shara and Poe headed back to the speeder as Jzora steered Halla into the house.

"Bye, Poe!" Halla called.

Poe seemed reluctant, but he still gave a little, half-hearted wave. "Bye."

* * *

The forest rang out with raucous laughter and the low whine of swoops.

"Come on, Poe! Last one there is a nerfherder!"

Halla Thane cackled with glee as she zoomed in and out of the trees, navigating the thick woods at speeds most would never dare. She'd been playing among these trees for years and knew them all. She wasn't going to crash. This was practically child's play.

Just behind her, on a swoop of his own was her best friend, and fiercest rival, Poe Dameron. They'd gotten off to a rocky start at first. Halla had snuck over to Poe's house, and Poe had yelled at her for it. That hadn't stopped her from coming back over and over again. You see Poe had this tree that grew behind his house that he and his parents had planted when they first arrived on Yavin 4. To this day, the tree still amazed Halla, how it grew and flourished even drought and cold. Even in that time when nobody had tended to it, after Poe's mom died.

Halla had been at Poe's house when the news had come in. The hyperdrive on Shara's ship suffered a catastrophic failure. None on the ship survived. Shara had been flying, on her way home to Poe and Poe's father Kes. For years, Poe always said he wanted to be a pilot like his mother. Halla had thought the news of her death would've been the end of his dream, but instead Poe seemed to throw himself into things head on. He and Halla had fixed up Shara's old RZ-1 A-wing interceptor deep in the woods where Kes and Halla's mother Jzora didn't know and Poe learned to fly it. And of course, where Poe went, Halla was determined to follow. Together they were two of the best pilots on Yavin 4, and certainly some of the youngest.

Halla dove under a fallen tree and Poe managed to pull up level with her.

"Give up, Halla!" Poe called, laughing as the wind whipped through his dark hair. "You'll never beat me!" He zoomed ahead and Halla grit her teeth, pushing her swoop harder and faster. They were a blur, flying through the woods. One false move would spell the end of either of them, but neither would mess up. They were almost back to the house and Halla had one last move. There as a log that had fallen and created a perfect ramp. If she made it at just the right time, she could fly over Poe and beat him!

She saw the log up ahead and gunned her engines, trying to pull every bit of power and speed out of the swoop. Poe hear her though and knew _exactly_ what she was doing. In one daring, and maybe a bit crazy, move he swerved in front of her and cut her off, taking the log himself and forcing Halla to veer around the set up or risk being pancaked. Poe whooped as he flew up the log and over the creek, winning the race. The two of them powered down, bringing their swoops to a stop just at the edge of the clearing where Poe's house stood.

"I win," Poe declared, smirking. "Who's the best pilot in the whole galaxy?"

"You are, you buckethead!" Halla retorted as she hopped off her swoop and skipped across the clearing.

"Oh no you don't!" Poe was ready as Halla reached out to push him off his seat. He grabbed her arms and the two of them wrestled for a second before Poe slipped and lost his balance. Too bad he was still holding Halla. The two of them went head-over-heel down onto the packed dirt. Halla landed on top of Poe, who had the wind knocked out of him. Groaning, he rolled over, pushing her off.

"When did you get so heavy?" he moaned.

"When did you get so kriffing slow?"

"I beat you didn't I?"

"By the skin of your teeth. I'll space you next time."

"In your dreams laserbrain."

The two of them slowly pulled themselves up and tended to their swoops before heading for the house. It wasn't until they came around the bend that they noticed the strange fighter standing just at the edge of the trees.

"Whoa!" Halla exclaimed. "Look at this! It's an X-wing."

"It's an XJ-series," Poe added. He ran his hands over the sleek wings almost reverently, admiring the profile and thin lines. Hall knew Poe flew an A-wing, but his dream was to get in the cockpit of one of these, an X-wing Starfighter. It was the pinnacle of speed, stealth, and maneuverability. Halla had never seen one this close before. This was the sort of craft Luke Skywalker used to destroy the Death Star.

Poe was practically in love when the little blue and silver astromech droid came wheeling over, squawking and beeping furiously at them.

"Alright, alright!" Poe replied, putting his hands up and making a show of stepping away. "I won't touch it."

Halla laughed, elbowing Poe in the ribs. "Sounds familiar doesn't it?" she smirked, thinking about the first time they'd met, almost eight years ago.

"Shut up," Poe retorted. "I wonder whose droid that is. Testy little guy."

The astromech whistled at them, shooing them away with a couple of half-hearted jabs with his stun arm. Halla and Poe knew better than to be on the wrong end of that, and they quickly head for the house.

"Dad! We're back!" Poe called, as they dumped their mud-caked boots by the back door.

Kes Dameron had much more gray hair than the first time Halla had met him. He'd grown his goatee out into a full beard and that too was shot through with gray. His face was lined with age and stress, probably from having a daredevil son like Poe.

"Poe, we have a guest," Kes said, and a moment later another man entered.

He had a beard too and sandy hair. He wore a flight suit and carried an old, battered helmet under his arm. One look at him and Halla knew he was an Alliance pilot, without even needing to see the starbird symbol on his helmet. But that wasn't what drew her attention. Hanging from his belt, glinting in the light of the sinking sun, was a very distinct, shiny tube. Halla had never seen one before, but like an X-wing fighter, she knew exactly what it was, a lightsaber. Which meant this visitor, the pilot, was a Jedi.

"Master Skywalker, this is my son, Poe," Kes introduced, "and his friend, Halla Thane."

Master Skywalker! This was Luke Skywalker! He was a hero of the Alliance! He destroyed the first Death Star and killed the Emperor and he was a Jedi. The lightsaber hanging at his hip proved it.

"Pleased to meet you, sir," Poe said stiffly, shaking Luke Skywalker's hand. He was acting really weird, but Halla didn't say anything. She was a little starstruck herself.

"I've heard a lot about you, Poe," Luke Skywalker said. "Your mother spoke of you often. She was a great pilot."

"Thank you, sir," Poe replied.

"Master Skywalker came to check on the tree," Kes said.

"It's outside," Halla told him, eager to move past the quiet moment. She knew Poe still hurt over his mother's death, and like a good friend she didn't want him to dwell on it too much. Then he would get moody and sulky and they wouldn't hang out for weeks until Halla finally got fed up and dragged him out on the swoops again.

She led them out to the tree, which was no longer a little cutting but a good-sized tree now. Its branches reached out over her head. Often she and Poe would sit under its shade and talk or read, or just relax in companionable silence. Halla liked it most when they did that. She felt like she was connected to everything when she was still and quiet. She could hear the birds and feel deep thrumming of life all around her. And the tree, the tree was a great source of light and energy. Sitting at its roots invigorated her, even when she was at her most tired and worn. She stepped up to its trunk and brushed her fingers over it, greeting it as an old friend. Poe often used to tease her for her fascination with the tree. To him, it was a reminder of his mother. For Halla, it was like a beacon that drew her near. She was always aware of its presence, even when she was in her own home.

"Look how big it's grown," Halla said, grinning. To her surprise, Master Skywalker stepped up to the base too, placing his palm on the trunk as Halla did. He took in a deep breath and as he exhaled Halla could feel the tree pulsing, the energy flowing down into the roots and spreading out through the forest in all directions. Halla gasped, clutching the tree for support. Never had she felt anything like that happen in all the years she'd come and helped Poe and the Damerons tend the special tree.

"It certainly has," Master Skywalker agreed as the energy settled once more. He turned back to Poe and Kes. "You've taken such good care of it. Better than I could've ever hoped. Thank you."

"It's been our honor, Master Skywalker," Kes replied.

They stood for a while longer under the tree's branches. Halla never once removed her hand from the tree's trunk and she started to notice Master Skywalker glancing over at her curiously as he conversed with Kes. Poe had taken a seat by her at the roots of the tree and was dozing off when Master Skywalker and Kes joined them once more.

"Poe," Kes said, tapping his son to rouse him. "Let's go inside and start dinner."

"I'll help," Halla volunteered.

"Actually, I was hoping to speak with you privately a moment, Halla," Master Skywalker said.

Poe looked between Master Skywalker and his father with confusion, but he still got up and followed Kes inside, glancing back a few times as if to make sure Halla was going to be okay. Master Skywalker, to Halla's surprise, ended up taking Poe's seat next to her.

"Halla, have you ever heard of the Force?"

Of course she had. It's what Jedi used. It was some sort of energy or something that bound everything together. She said as much and Master Skywalker nodded.

"A basic description, but yes, for the most part. This tree is one of two clippings that Poe's mother and I went through great lengths to acquire. Many years ago, this tree grew on Coruscant, at the center of the Jedi Temple. It is Force-sensitive, which is why we had to save it from the Empire. It's also why you are so drawn to it."

Halla looked up at the tree as its branches drifted in the gentle breeze. It didn't _look_ like a special, Jedi tree.

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

"Place your hand on the trunk."

Halla did, and immediately she felt the energy again as it flowed through the trunk and the branches, out to the leaves and down through the roots.

"Do you feel that? The energy? It flows through the trees, out into the forest, and through you and I. That's the Force." He breathed deep and Halla found herself mimicking him. As she inhaled the light rushed over her and she was caught up in the pulse of the forest for just a moment, until she exhaled and it was like a wave falling back from the beach.

"Wow," Halla breathed. "Can everybody feel that?"

Master Skywalker shrugged. "To some extent. Most simply feel relaxed or renewed in the tree's presence, but for Force-sensitives, people like us, it's so much more."

"Force-sensitive?"

Master Skywalker nodded. "You can feel it all around you. I know you can sense the emotions of those around you. You're much attuned, to Poe in particular. Have you ever been tested before?"

"No."

"I would like to, if it's alright with your parents. Right now I'm looking for those like us, Force-sensitive beings. I want to rebuild the Jedi and train others. You're one of the stronger I've come across in my travels. If you pass the test, and I fully believe you will, and you're interested, I would like to take you on as a student."

Halla couldn't believe it. Her head spun and she was practically giddy at the thought. _Her_ , a Jedi like Luke Skywalker! _Training_ with Luke Skywalker and learning about the Force and how to use a lightsaber, all of it! She'd only ever thought of becoming a pilot with Poe. They talked about going to school when they were older, getting their licenses and maybe even joining the New Republic's fleet. Poe was sure to be the best pilot in all of the armada, and Halla would be his wing-man, right there backing him up in every crazy stunt he pulled.

She paused as she thought of Poe.

"Would I have to leave?"

Master Skywalker nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. I'm building another Temple, and my hope is that everyone can train there, together. It will be easier, and hopefully prevent distractions."

"When would I have to go?"

"As soon as possible."

Halla frowned at the thought of leaving Poe, especially now. She wanted to go, desperately. But she didn't want to leave Poe behind.

Master Skywalker seemed to understand her train of thought. "The training will not be easy. There will be sacrifices along the way. It's not the path for everyone. I would still like to talk with your parents, but in the end it's your decision and it's not one I want you to make lightly or without thought."

After dinner, Master Skywalker offered to escort Halla home. The astromech came with them. Master Skywalker called him Artoo, and seemed to understand each and every whistle. The droid, for its part, was never more than a few paces behind them.

Jzora was not surprised at the late hour Halla was returning. She often stayed at Poe's house for supper, and many times Poe came to her house. She was, however, surprised to see Luke Skywalker escorting her daughter. It was all too reminiscent of their first meeting with Shara and Poe. They sat at the table and Master Skywalker explained to Jzora what he was offering Halla. They did a few exercises where Halla had to tell Master Skywalker what was on a screen she couldn't see. She passed every test as Jzora watched nervously. At the end, Master Skywalker declared her a fine candidate for his new academy.

"I told Halla this is not an easy decision. If she decides she would like to pursue this path, send me a holo-message and I will make all the necessary arrangements for her transportation. If I do not hear from you, I will assume you declined my offer."

"Thank you, Master Skywalker," Jzora said quietly. She'd become increasingly soft-spoken the more exercises Halla had completed correctly until she barely spoke at all.

Halla escorted Master Skywalker to the door where Artoo was already waiting. Night had fallen long ago, but Halla knew she had little chance of sleep that night. Her mind was racing with the possibilities and wrestling with the choices she had before her.

"One last thing," Master Skywalker said, as he left. "I find that if I am overwhelmed, it helps to listen to the Force. It guides us in all things, and when we quiet our bodies and minds, we can hear it best."

"I'll try," Halla promised.

"May the Force be with you."

Sure enough, that night Halla had no rest. She tossed and turned and tried to quiet her mind but it was little use. There was so much to think about, and all of the sudden there seemed to be no time. Master Skywalker said not to make this decision lightly and she was trying not to. It was just that everything in her seemed to scream that this was the right path. She'd never felt anything so right before. And yet, how could something be right if it took her away from her best friend in the whole galaxy?

* * *

The next day, she met up with Poe in town. He was looking for parts for his A-wing once more. It was old and had seen its fair share of action. Each time it was harder and harder to find parts as Starfighters were modified and upgraded and the old pieces were discontinued. As it was, Halla and Poe were digging through a junk pile of old parts, looking for something that would at least _fit_ the A-wing, even if it wasn't precisely the right part.

"This is ridiculous," Halla declared as a pile of parts collapsed around her ankles and smeared old grease over her sleeves. "You should save your money for something nice, like Master Skywalker's X-wing. Now _that_ was a Starfighter."

Poe tossed some junk over his shoulder as he sifted through his own pile.

"She _was_ beautiful," he admitted. "But I like what I have. She has spirit."

"If that's what you call it," Halla muttered. She hoped he wasn't referring to the A-wing's tendency to cut out if you climbed too steeply. The first time Halla had been behind the controls when it'd done that, she'd nearly crashed the blasted thing.

They continued to look for another hour but it was no use. This junk dealer didn't have what they needed. Hot and tired from their hunt, they stopped in a small diner that has sprung up in the years while the Alliance base had been most active. The Diner, called Chiila's, was run by a guy called Myles Hooge and if anyone ever asked him about Chiila he'd shove a blaster up their nose and tell them if they valued their brains they'd never speak Chiila's name again. As a result, most just called the place "The Diner". It had been a favorite with the Alliance pilots and soldiers and was now a local favorite too. Halla and Poe waved to Hooge before taking a booth. Hooge's waitress, a green Twi'lek by the name of Oko'ma, brought over their usual with a polite smile and left them to it.

"So what did Master Skywalker talk to you about?" Poe asked as he took a bite of his nerfburger. "You were really quiet at dinner last night."

Halla didn't answer right away, but pretended to take a long drink. She hadn't been sure she should tell Poe about Master Skywalker's offer, but something in her urged her to. Poe was her friend, and perhaps he could urge her in the right direction.

"He wants to train me, to be a Jedi."

Poe immediately started coughing and only after a chugging some of his water was he able to at last stop. "He wants to _train_ you? But, why?"

Halla shrugged. "He thinks I'm Force-sensitive."

" _Are_ you?"

"I don't know. I guess…maybe…?" She pushed her food around, not particularly hungry at the moment.

"You know the tree?"

"Of course."

"You know how I always want to be around it? Remember how I couldn't stay away from it, even after you yelled at me?"

Poe snorted. "How could I forget?"

"Master Skywalker said it's because the tree is Force-sensitive. It came from the old Jedi Temple. I can _feel_ it, that's why I always want to be around it. I can feel the Force in it and it feels…good, light. He tested me last night, when I went home. He wants me to go with him, to train."

"When?"

"Right away."

Poe had seemed vaguely amused up until that point. But his expression fell and he sat back in his seat, clenching and unclenching his hands. It was something he did nervously. Halla had watched him do it so often before that she knew without really having to sense his emotions. They sat in silence, Poe digesting and Halla waiting, desperately hoping that he'd understand.

At last he looked up at her and Halla could see his heart break there in his eyes. "You want to go, don't you?"

"I don't know," Halla said softly.

"Yes you do," Poe replied. "You wouldn't have told me if you didn't." He took a deep breath and released it slowly. He spread his palms out flat on the table in an effort to relax. Halla knew that tic too. He was preparing himself for something he really didn't want to do, but knew he should.

"You should go."

"But what about the fleet? We're going to be in the same squadron, fly together? You and me against the whole galaxy. That's what we said."

Poe chuckled. "It's always going to be me and you against the galaxy," he told her, firmly. "You can be damn sure about that. Anyways, it'll be more useful to have a _Jedi_ with me." He grinned and Halla saw it in his eyes. He was truly happy for her, even if he perhaps didn't want things to change. That was all she could hope for at the moment as they finished their food.

* * *

It was two weeks later that Jzora and Poe escorted Halla to the spaceport where a freighter waited to take her to Ossus where a new Jedi academy was being founded. It was a closely kept secret and only Halla, her mother, and Poe knew where she was going. As they said their goodbyes, Halla fought the tears that burned at her eyes. Yavin 4 was the only home she'd ever known, and while she'd travelled a few times, she'd never lived anywhere else before. To leave her mother and Poe behind was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do so far, and it was proving to be nearly impossible. Four times that morning, Halla had considered calling the whole thing off. But something had told her to keep going, that this was the right path. The Force maybe? Or perhaps Halla's own intuition. Maybe they were one in the same. Master Skywalker would know. She could ask him when she arrived. The freighter landed and Halla turned to make her final farewells as the ramp came down and a young man around Halla's age in brown tunics and a long jacket with black hair stepped out. He scanned the spaceport until he found her and strode purposefully across the bay.

"Halla Thane?" he asked in a deep voice full of confidence.

"Yes," Halla said, fighting to keep her voice steady and sure like the boy.

"Master Skywalker sent me to escort you," he said. As he reached his hand out, his jacket shifted and Halla saw a lightsaber, much like Master Skywalker's hanging from his belt.

"Nice to meet you…"

"Ben Solo."

"Ben, this is my mother Jzora, and my friend Poe Dameron."

Ben nodded politely, if a bit briskly to both. "Do you have your things? The ship is preparing to leave again."

"I'm ready," Halla said, hefting her flight bag over her shoulder.

"Just a second," Poe said suddenly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her aside, out of earshot.

"Poe? What is it?"

Suddenly he pulled her into a fierce hug, unlike anything he'd ever done before.

"Be careful," he whispered in her ear. "I'm not going to be there to clean up our messes."

Halla snorted. "Just don't go crashing into anything, buckethead."

Poe glanced over at Ben Solo, who was standing with his hands folded behind his back, watching them with impatience. He shot him a glare over Halla's head.

"Make sure you beat that guy too," he added.

"You bet I will," Halla replied. At last Poe let go and they rejoined the group.

"Ready now?" Ben asked, directing the question at Poe.

"Yeah," Poe retorted cooly. He gave Halla's hand one final squeeze before letting go.


	2. Part 2

Us Against the Galaxy

By: Katerinaki

Published: 12/27/2015

Beta'ed: No

Notes: Well folks, you asked for it! I was overwhelmed by the feedback I received, particularly in how many of you wanted me to continue. So here's a continuation. I still consider this less of a long story and more of a collection of snap-shots. Please note that I had to take some liberties here with the canon. We just know so little about these characters still. Where I could, I tried to draw on the Legends (all of the Expanded Universe that is now considered non-canonical) but I'm not as familiar with them as I am with the Old Republic-era so please forgive me if I got some things wrong. That being said, please enjoy the continued adventures of Poe Dameron and Halla Thane!

Part 2:

"Hi Poe! You better be out flying somewhere if you're missing my holo. I don't have a lot of time, Master Skywalker keeps us pretty busy. You wouldn't _believe_ the things he can do, and he's showing it to all of us! I can manipulate objects with the Force and use it to run faster and jump higher than ever. My favorite is the lightsaber training, though. I'm just using a practice one right now, but Master Skywalker says it's almost time to build my own! I hope you're doing well. Your dad said you made it into flight school. I bet you're showing them up right now. Doesn't matter, I'm still a better pilot than you.

"Well I have to go. It's almost time for meditation. Ugh, that's the worst! Call me back when you get this, maybe we can talk next time. May the Force be with you!"

The holo-message Halla smiled and waved before flickering out. Poe's hand grazed over the holo-terminal, considering replaying the message again, but instead he hit the "eject" and the data-chip popped out of the terminal. Poe snatched it up and put it in the small pocket of his flight suit before grabbing his helmet and continuing down the hall to his personal quarters.

It was an old message, one he'd received back when he was still in flight school. Back when he and Halla had tried to holo each other at least once a week and if they didn't, they'd leave messages like this one, full of the excitement of new things.

That was almost six years ago. Since then, their calls had become less frequent, and if one called it was usually just to leave a brief message communicating that they were alright but didn't have time to go into detail of what they were doing. The last message he'd received from Halla was eight months ago, when she told him she was going on some sort of retreat and wouldn't be able to contact him for a year. Poe had been out on patrol with his squadron and he'd missed it.

Setting his helmet on his sleep couch, Poe stripped down out of his flight suit, just glad to peel it off after so long in the cockpit. There were times when he practically lived in the cockpit of his T-85 X-wing. He'd taken to keeping more than just a few field rations in his flight bag. The hot water of the fresher helped to ease some of the aches and pains from sitting in one position for hours on end and when Poe finally stepped out and dressed in his civilian clothes, he felt almost like a human again. He was just preparing himself a meal when he heard the door to his quarters open and a series of binary chirps and whistles greeted him.

"In here, Beebee-Ate," he called and his orange astromech rolled into the kitchen, telling him all about the routine maintenance that had been started on his X-wing as Poe took a seat at the small breakfast table in the corner.

"Thanks, buddy," he told the little droid when it had finished giving its report. It whistled and chirped a few more times before rolling into Poe's bedroom, likely to power down for a bit. In theory, astromech droids like BB-8 were designed for the advanced computations involved in space travel, and BB-8 certainly seemed to enjoy flying with Poe. But for some reason he always seemed "tired" after patrols, much as Poe was. When Poe mentioned it to his squadron mates, they'd laughed at him, telling him droids were droids and they didn't get "tired". Poe laughed along and didn't mention it again. He'd long ago realized that BB-8 was not like other astromechs, and with all the modifications he'd given that little droid over the years, he was certainly one-of-a-kind.

Poe was drawn from his musings by the insistent beeping of an incoming holo. Immediately his mind turned to Halla and he rushed to answer, banging hip on the edge of the table in the process. When he answered, however, it was not Halla's face that greeted him but that of his stern, Zabrak Wing Commander, Saruun Sayned.

"Dameron, your presence is requested in the ready-room."

"Yes, sir," Poe replied. The holo cut out and Poe looked down at his half-finished meal and sighed. It would have to wait. He once more changed into a flight suit as BB-8 chirped and whistled, knowing something was happening.

"We've got a briefing," he told the astromech. It was unspoken that BB-8 always accompanied him. The droid was right at his heels as he strode down the halls, towards Sabre Squadron's ready-room. Commander Sayned as already waiting with Captain Shaasa, who commanded the air wing, and a Colonel wearing the uniform of the New Republic Marines. The rest of Sabre Squadron was not present.

"Lieutenant Dameron, take a seat," Captain Shaasa said. Poe had met her a handful of times, since being assigned to Sabre Squadron. She, like Commander Sayned, was a veteran of the Rebellion and while she had never personally flown with Poe's mother, she'd heard of her exploits and said as much when they'd first met.

"Lieutenant, we're in need of a pilot for a covert mission, and Commander Sayned recommended you for the job."

Poe glanced at Sayned, surprised that he would choose Poe. Often Commander Sayned chastised him for not following orders, although Poe liked to think he was more going above and beyond. As a result, they often butt heads with Poe usually pulling extra duty.

"How familiar are you with the cell called the First Order?"

Immediately Poe tensed, gripping the arm of his chair. He'd heard more and more of the First Order in recent months. They were a bunch of Imperial zealots, a combination of old officers and people who thought the Empire had it right. They were amassing in the Unknown Region and were causing more and more trouble for the Republic, raiding bases and trade routes. The problem was, nobody seemed to really know how many of them were out there, and what their capabilities were until there was another attack.

"I am up-to-date with the general briefings," Poe replied.

"The First Order is growing bolder with each successful raid," Captain Shaasa said. "But we still have very little intelligence on them. This cannot continue. With our allies, we are forming a squad to infiltrate First Order space and gather intelligence from the inside."

So that explained the Marine.

"You want me to fly the ship?" Poe asked.

"Penetrating their defense system will not be easy and will require a great deal of skill and dumb luck," Captain Shaasa warned. "You would also be responsible for assessing their naval capacity, but above all, ensuring that the data that is collected returns to the Republic. There is a great deal of risk involved."

Poe grinned. Captain Shaasa hadn't said it, but she'd certainly implied it. They needed the best pilot they had who was reckless enough to go into the belly of the sarlacc and fly right back out again. They thought that was Poe.

"Anything else I should know?" he asked.

Captain Shaasa and the Colonel exchanged a glance and the Colonel nodded, giving permission.

"You won't just be taking Marines with you," she said. "There will be two civilian specialists."

"Civilians! You want me to take two civilians behind enemy lines? You're joking right?"

But Captain Shaasa didn't look like she was joking, and didn't seem to appreciate his outburst either.

"These civilians are more than capable of handling their own protection," the Colonel told him. "They are there for a very specific reason and we have every assurance they will not be a burden to the operation. Is that clear, son?"

Not particularly, but the tone told Poe it wasn't a good idea to argue at the moment. Just who were these civilians anyways?

* * *

Poe hadn't been to Ord Canfre since his academy years. They'd flown practice missions plenty of times, but beyond its extensive bombing range, there was little to draw anyone to Ord Canfre. Well, except to stage a covert mission into the Unknown Regions. It was right on the edge of the Imperial Remnants, but still controlled by the New Republic. Really it was nothing special; once a weapons supply depot overrun by the Confederacy during the Galactic Civil War, retaken by the Empire, and inherited by the New Republic. There was a small base where soldiers who'd angered the wrong general went to stare at the walls.

The arrival of Poe in his X-wing was the most action they'd seen in years. They scurried around his X-wing like bees around a hive the second he set down. BB-8 squawked at them, shooing them away with his stun arm and a few jolts to those who didn't listen.

"It's alright, Beebee-Ate," Poe told him. BB-8 didn't seem convinced, but he stood down and let the mechanics do their checks.

"Lieutenant Dameron?"

Poe turned to find a wide-eyed private standing at attention.

"I'm here to escort you to the briefing."

"Right."

The private glanced between Poe and BB-8. "Uh, okay then."

For a covert mission, they sure were drawing a lot of attention as they strode down the corridors to the briefing room. Everyone from grunts to techs stopped to gawk and Poe shifted his flight helmet awkwardly in his hand. Why didn't he leave it behind? He felt stupid carrying it with him. They arrived at "Briefing Room 2" and Poe found himself tugging at his flight suit before realizing that it didn't really matter because it wasn't like he was going before the Admiral or General. He was walking into a briefing for a covert mission that could very well get him and everyone on the team killed.

BB-8 whistled and gave him a little nudge in the leg.

"Alright, I'm going."

As Poe stepped into the briefing room, it was obvious that he was the last one to the party. About five Republic Marines stood around the holo-projector with a man and a woman. The strangers' backs were to the door at first, but they turned and Poe immediately recognized the boy from the hangar, Ben Solo. He was taller, his hair was longer, and was dressed head to toe in black but he still held himself with the same arrogant superiority Poe had caught in their very brief meeting. Poe would've rejected the mission right then and there, if he hadn't then seen the woman.

"Poe!"

"Halla?"

A second later he was hugging her and Poe couldn't have said if she'd tackled him or if it was the other way around. He hadn't seen his best friend in a decade, but it felt like they'd only said goodbye the day before. Poe knew, in some part of his mind, that she would be different, older, more mature. They both would be; it came with what they did. Poe was a pilot, Halla was now a Jedi. But even as Poe looked down at this woman with thinner cheeks and shorter hair, he still saw his childhood friend in the broad smile and bright eyes, the way she looked at him with such joy and excitement.

"They told us they were getting the best pilot the fleet had but I never thought—"

"It'd be me?" Poe laughed, slapping her good-naturedly on the arm. "Of course it's me, laserbrain!" He stepped back to look her over. From the tactical clothes to the blaster on her leg and the lightsaber hanging from her belt, she looked every bit the part. Standing before her, at last his brain was catching up to the reality, replacing his memory of the short little girl with the grown woman.

Halla laughed, reaching down and flicking his flight helmet with a gloved hand. "I see you're still cocky as ever, buckethead."

Poe had a retort at the tip of his tongue when they were interrupted by an impatient cough.

"If you two are quite finished, we still have work to do," Ben Solo said.

Poe wanted to tell him to shove it out the nearest porthole, but Halla seemed to straighten up and a seriousness came over her like Poe had never seen before.

"Apologies," she said to Ben and to the Marines. "Lieutenant Dameron and I are old friends. Please, continue."

Ben shot Poe a pointed glance but still continued on with his briefing. Poe joined the rest of them at the holo-projector standing on Halla's other side. He listened and offered his input when it was necessary, but the whole time he couldn't help but watch Halla, the way she listened intently, evaluated, and made her own suggestions. She spoke with knowledge and experience and Poe couldn't help but wonder just what Halla had been involved in with the Jedi. It was obvious that she and Ben were the "civilian specialists", and that also explained why nobody seemed to be worried about their presence on this mission. If anything, it seemed like the Jedi were _running_ this show. Certainly the Marines deferred to their judgment.

A few hours later they seemed to have a working plan, for all they knew very little about what they were heading into.

"Very well," Solo said at last. "Then we will leave in three hours. Will that be sufficient time for your preparations, Lieutenant?"

Three hours to get acquainted with a new ship and run through all the pre-flight checks? It was a bit tight, but Poe wasn't about to be the one to slow anyone down."

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Good. Hangar Bay 5."

The holo-projector flickered out signaling the end of their briefing. The Marines left, likely to go prepare their own kits. Poe knew he still had to stow is own things and change. They couldn't risk the Republic being implicated, so they were going in on a scrubbed ship in civilian clothes with credentials for a supply freighter. Poe had packed his lucky jacket in his flight bag, just in case. Solo hadn't wanted to take BB-8 with them, but Poe had insisted that he needed him to help and Halla had pointed out that an astromech droid would be invaluable for repairs and would not look out of place with their crew, should they be discovered. With none of the Marines raising any sort of argument, Solo had finally conceded. Like Poe needed the Jedi's permission to bring his own droid!

The ship they were taking, the _Sidewinder_ , wasn't a piece of junk, but it had definitely seen better days. Then again, so had most freighters that ran the hyperspace lanes in the Outer Rim and Unknown Regions. A shiny, new ship would look even more suspicious. Poe sat in the pilot's seat, acquainting himself while BB-8 rolled around the ship, going through all the systems checks. He didn't even hear her arrival until Halla slumped into the co-pilot's chair.

"Need any help?"

Poe grinned. "Nah. She's a nice girl, even if she isn't much to look at."

"Master Skywalker thought she'd be less interesting," Halla said as she reached over and started doing her own checks. "The _Sidewinder's_ gotten me out of a few tight spots in the past. She has a good body, and I may have done a few modifications to give her some more speed."

"Yeah, Beebee-Ate was admiring your work, huh buddy?"

BB-8 chattered as he rolled into the cockpit, squeezing his way between the two seats.

"Beebee-Ate, I'd like you to meet my good friend, Halla Thane."

BB-8 whistled at Halla, as close as a droid could get to playful flirting. Poe was about to interpret when Halla chuckled and reached down to place a hand on BB-8's dome.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," she told the droid. "But between you and me, I think Poe needs the company more than I do."

BB-8 chirped his agreement before continuing on with this checks.

"Most people don't understand him," Poe said.

Halla rolled her eyes. "Poe, it's _me_ you're talking to. Your astromech is very sweet. He reminds me of Master Skywalker's droid, Artoo."

"You mean the one that threatened me for touching his Starfighter?"

"That's the one!"

They laughed and Poe's mind flashed back to the many times they'd laughed and bantered with each other at The Diner, in the junk yard, or just racing around the jungle by their homes. The nostalgia hit him like a charging nerf bull and Poe found himself reaching over, grabbing Halla's hand and squeezing it.

"I'm glad you're here," he said. "I was almost going to pass this one up when I saw Solo."

Halla shrugged. "Aw, Ben isn't that bad, when you get to know him."

"Did you beat him?"

Halla smirked. "Twice."

"If you're ready to go, Lieutenant," Solo drawled as he entered the cockpit, "the sooner we begin the sooner this information gets to the Republic."

"Almost ready," Poe replied as he and Halla busied themselves once more. The _Sidewinder_ hummed to life as the last of the Marines loaded up and closed their landing ramp. Solo took the seat behind Poe's and as he and Halla plotted their course, Poe could feel the dark brown eyes boring into his back. BB-8 decided to nestle down between the two pilot and co-pilot seat, chirping help as Poe and Halla went through the launch sequence.

"Thanks, Beebee-Ate," Halla said, brushing her fingers over his dome like she was petting a cat. As Poe listened to his droid's whistles, he knew BB-8 was smitten already.

"Alright kids, hold on tight," he said over the ship's intercom just as he made the jump to hyperspace and the stars stretched around them.

* * *

' _Well this could've gone better,'_ Poe thought as he dove around the corner for cover as the place he was just standing was peppered with blaster fire.

Things had actually gone pretty well at first. They'd emerged from hyperspace not far from Orinda, which Republic probes had targeted as a First Order primeworld. Sure enough, Orinda had been crawling with Star Destroyers and TIE fighters. Poe's hand tightened on the controls but he kept his course steady as Orinda spaceport ran their freighter credentials and demanded specifics of their shipment. If there was one thing Poe could say for Solo, he was thorough. They'd crafted their cover story in detail and Poe answered calmly, if a little tersely. Any freighter pilot risking their necks and their ships to come all the way out here would be a little prickled having to go through such an interrogation just to land. If the flight controller noticed, she didn't say anything and they were soon cleared to land in Docking Bay 34.

They got a really good look at the fleet and Poe had to admit, the Republic _severely_ underestimated the strength of the First Order. Captain Shaasa had briefed him before he'd left for Ord Canfre just what they expected to find, and it wasn't half of what Poe saw. TIE fighters swarmed like a thousand gnats and Poe counted at least four _Imperial_ -class destroyers, and even an _Executor-_ class dreadnought, and those were just the big ones.

"Krif," Poe muttered.

"Stay on course, Lieutenant," Solo ordered.

"You know, if we're a crew, shouldn't you call me Captain?" It was petty, but Poe sometimes let his mouth get away from him when he was nervous, like he was right now in the middle of an enemy fleet.

"It's alright, Poe," Halla said softly. She looked calm and sure, but Poe knew her better than that. Her movements were rigid as they cycled through the landing sequence. Poe set them down in the docking bay and began powering down the ship.

"You're staying here, Lieutenant," Solo said. "Keep the ship running."

"Like hell," Poe growled. "BB-8 can stay with the ship. I'm coming along."

"That is not part of the plan."

"Neither were this many Imperials," Poe retorted. He pulled his blaster and checked the cartridge before sliding it back in the holster, safety off.

"We need someone to stay with the ship in case we have to leave in a hurry, and you are not combat-trained—"

"I can handle myself."

"You will stay behind, _Lieutenant_."

"You're not my commanding officer, _Solo_."

"Ben, Poe!" Halla pushed them away from each other, a hand going to Poe's blaster and Solo's lightsaber. "Ben, BB-8 can stay with the ship. We _didn't_ anticipate it would be like this."

Solo glared at Poe, but he nodded once. "Very well."

Things had started off pretty good. The spaceport was busy with not only First Order, though they were certainly in the majority. Poe thought they stood out like a sore thumb with the five hulking Marines all with the same haircut, but nobody seemed to notice. Things didn't start going badly, until they got out onto the streets.

"You! Halt!"

Poe's hand automatically went to his blaster as the Stormtroopers trained their weapons on him. But Halla stayed his hand, making it look like she'd grabbed it to hold it for comfort.

"What is your business here," the Stormtrooper demanded.

"We're simply dropping off a shipment of supplies," Solo said.

"Traders are not allowed outside the designated area. Let me see your identification."

Solo brought his hand up, waving it across the Stormtrooper's face. "You don't need to see our identification."

Poe thought it was the stupidest stunt he'd ever seen, but the Stormtrooper hesitated a second and for a brief moment, Poe thought the trick had worked!

That's when things went hullside-up.

"Hands up!" the Stormtrooper growled and his friends moved, quickly surrounding them.

"Krif," Poe swore.

Solo tried again. "You will _stand down_ and continue on your patrol," he growled.

"I said put your hands up, Jedi scum!" The trooper reached out to shove Solo to his knees, but he never touched him. Faster than Poe could blink, both Solo and Halla had pulled their lightsabers and Solo slashed through the trooper's arm and blaster with one swipe. Poe rolled, pulling his blaster and shooting at the nearest trooper, taking him down. Two of the Marines went down in the fire fight, but Poe didn't have the time to check on them. He was dashing for cover with Halla close behind. They dove behind the wall, Poe firing off a shot or two just to keep the troopers from coming up on them.

"What's your plan now?"

They couldn't see Solo or the other Marines and if they didn't move soon they'd be pinned down.

Halla looked around briefly before seeming to spot what she wanted. "This way," she told him, slipping down an adjacent alley to a small access. Pulling out her lightsaber saber, she severed the controls and the door flew open. Poe fired off a few more shots before ducking in after her and with a flick of her wrist Halla closed the door and locked it.

"We need to go," Halla said urgently. "That won't hold them long."

Halla led the way through the long corridors that all looked the same. They were obviously in some sort of base. Just around the corners patrolled more Stormtroopers, but with Halla leading they never seemed to run into any of them. She'd pause at times in the middle of the corridor and just up ahead they'd hear the thumping of boots come and go before continuing on. Poe still kept his blaster in hand and his eyes glancing around, ready the instant they were needed again.

Poe thought Halla was looking for an exit, but suddenly she stopped in front of some sort of control room.

"This is it," she murmured and turned to him. "Poe, I need you to stay out here and make sure nobody comes along before I have what I need."

Poe frowned. What was in there that Halla needed? They'd seen more than enough already to mark the First Order as a credible threat to the Republic. They needed to get back to Republic-space with their findings. But Halla was Halla, and so Poe nodded and took up position just inside the door as Halla opened the door and slipped inside. For a while nobody came and Poe thought maybe they'd make it without being spotted, until in the distance Poe heard Stormtroopers coming. There were definitely a lot more of them than just a patrol and they were running.

"Halla," Poe called. "We've got company."

"Just a few moments more," Halla called back.

"We don't have that long!"

Poe primed his blaster, preparing for the inevitable firefight when he heard Halla's triumphant "Got it!" She appeared in the hall again just as the first wave rounded the corner.

"You there! Stop!"

"Time to go!" They made a run for it as blaster fire exploded all around them and it was sheer dumb luck that neither of them were shot. It seemed that their luck had run out when they rounded another corner to a dead end.

"Now what?"

Halla's eyes darted to a heavy grate that hid a ventilation duct. With a flick of her wrist the vent popped off of its own accord. "In there," she told him.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

But the Stormtroopers certainly weren't messing around as Poe had to duck another round of fire. It was possibly the stupidest idea he'd ever heard, but what choice did they have? He dived in with Halla right behind him. The duct was tight, but he managed to crawl through until they made it to a crossway.

"Right," Halla told him and at this point he wasn't one for arguing. They crawled for what seemed like an eternity before Poe smelled it. Fresh air, mixed with chemical exhaust, ship fuel, and all other manner of smells that came from a spaceport. Poe didn't even need to be told to turn left. Turning, he kicked out the panel and they clambered out onto the streets.

"There they are! Stop them!"

It seemed they weren't clear yet. Poe and Halla made a dash back towards the spaceport, praying the First Order hadn't locked it down yet. As he ran, Poe pulled his comlink.

"Beebee-Ate!"

The little droid whistled back over the connection.

"Get the ship started, we're going to need to make this quick!"

Beebee-Ate responded affirmatively and Poe once more thanked the Force for that little droid.

"Come on! Beebee-Ate is getting the ship ready."

"We can't leave without Ben and the others!" Halla protested.

"If we wait for them we won't be leaving at all!"

The spaceport wasn't yet on locked down, but Poe knew it was a matter of minutes before that changed. He punched the access sequence into the door and it flew open revealing the _Sidewinder_ already primed with the engines running. BB-8 waited at the top of the ramp and gave them an earful when he saw them.

"I know, I know," Poe replied as they charged up the ramp. He made a beeline for the pilot's chair, his hands flying over the controls as the ship hummed to life and lifted off.

"Poe! We can't leave yet," Halla insisted, even as she took her place in the co-pilot's chair.

"We have to get off the ground, Halla! There's a squadron of Stormtroopers after us."

Halla took a deep breath, sitting back and closing her eyes. Poe looked to BB-8, incredulous. Now was hardly the time to take a kriffing _nap_!

"Halla. Halla!"

Her eyes flew open. "Take off."

"About time!" The _Sidewinder_ shuddered as it rose. The docking bay doors flew open again and at least twenty white-armored Stormtroopers entered, shooting at the ship. Halla adjusted the shield and the blaster bolts ricocheted off the hull. Poe began to angle their ship to make their exit when Halla stopped him.

"No, fly over the city, stay low."

"At this point they probably already have one of those Star Destroyers coming after us. We need to go _now_."

"Poe, please just _trust me_."

Poe hesitated as she begged him. Halla had never begged him for anything before.

"Show me where."

"To the east, over the central square."

Poe steered them out over the city, soon spotting the square. He flew far lower than most pilots would dare, but he never clipped even a sensor array. Down below the streets were teaming with Stormtroopers and Poe felt sorry for the real shippers who'd been caught up in their mess. He didn't know what Halla was looking for until suddenly she pointed.

"There."

At the edge of the square, Poe could see a horde of Stormtroopers and right in the middle of it all was a dark figure and a glowing blue lightsaber.

"Fly low and keep it steady," Halla ordered as she left the cockpit.

"Right," Poe growled through clenched teeth as the _Sidewinder_ was rocked by blaster fire. The Stormtroopers below had noticed him and rightly assumed he was not on their side. Poe fought to keep the ship low and steady as he watched the shields dwindling under the barrage. Just when he thought he wouldn't be able to hold it any longer, Halla's voice crackled through the onboard comm unit.

"We're in."

Poe shot off, climbing as fast as he could up and away from the city. He was almost out of the atmosphere when Halla entered the cockpit followed by a panting Ben Solo. Clutched in Solo's hand was a bag of some sort, but Poe didn't have time to question him about it. There was a Star Destroyer ahead and they weren't about to just let him cruise by.

"I'm gonna need a hand here," Poe said and Halla took up her place in the next chair, her hands flying over the ship's defense system.

"Put the power on the forward shields," he ordered.

"I got it," Halla replied.

Solo strapped himself into the seat behind Halla, bringing the ship's only laser turret online.

"Time to prove your piloting skills, Lieutenant."

"I'm the best damn pilot we have," Poe growled as he dodged and rolled, avoiding the cannon blasts.

"Remember they have tractor beams," Halla warned as she programmed their hyperspace jump. They needed to be ready to jump once Poe got them clear of the Star Destroyer.

"I got it."

Poe dove once more as a TIE zoomed across his nose.

"Hey Solo, how about you shoot back?"

"Line up a shot and I'll be glad to," came the caustic reply.

Poe swerved and lined the next TIE right up with the turret. A few blasts of green and the fighter exploded. The same happened to two more as the Star Destroyer loomed closer.

"Alright, here goes nothing."

They skimmed right over the hull of the Star Destroyer, Poe lining up as many shots of those cannons as possible. Solo, for his part, managed to hit quite a few and Poe had to begrudgingly admit he was a decent gunner.

"Hang on tight!" Poe shouted, as they dodged the bridge and Solo took out another TIE. As soon as they were clear, Poe hit the jump and they left Orinda and the First Order behind.

Poe sat back in his seat and looked over to Halla. The two stared at each other for a moment until the magnitude of what they'd just accomplished boiled over and Poe found himself laughing. Halla joined him and Solo looked at them both as if they were insane.

"Was that your idea of _fun_?" he demanded.

"That was incredible!" Halla declared, reaching over and slapping Poe on the arm. "You're one hell of a pilot, buckethead!"

"Damn right!"

Solo seemed at a loss. He stood up, straightening his tunic and grabbing the bag.

"I have a report to prepare," he said primly. He shot Halla an expectant look before leaving and Halla sighed.

"I should go help," she said, getting up. Poe's good mood fell and he reached out to grab her hand.

"No, wait. Just…stay for a bit. We've got plenty of time to write our reports once we're back on Ord Canfre."

But Halla shook her head. "Master Skywalker will want this report as soon as possible." She squeezed his hand briefly before letting go and following Solo out. Poe found himself sitting in the cockpit with BB-8 as his only companion. It was like he was once more out on patrol. Sighing, Poe grabbed the nearest datapad and began his own report while the details were still fresh in his memory. As he typed, he couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling overcoming him. He was dreading their landing on Ord Canfre. Landing meant they'd give their reports and then go their separate ways. Poe would return to the Fleet and his squadron while Halla would accompany Solo back to the Jedi. While there had certainly been more blaster fire, for a brief moment this mission had been almost like old times back on Yavin 4. Poe hadn't realized how much he'd missed those days.

BB-8 cooed and nudged his leg, somehow sensing his master's melancholy.

"I'm alright, buddy," Poe assured him.

BB-8 whined.

"Yeah," Poe replied. "Halla will have to leave. But maybe we'll see her again sometime."

That didn't seem to cheer the little droid up. It certainly didn't change Poe's mood. As they made their final approach into Ord Canfre, Poe tried to tell himself this wasn't goodbye. They'd see each other again, and maybe soon with this new First Order business. Jedi were protectors of peace or something like that. Poe doubted they'd stay out of this. As he and Halla faced each other in the hangar bay one more time, they hugged like they had all those year ago.

"We will see each other again," Halla told him firmly. "I can feel it."

She looked down at the little BB unit by their feet. "Take care of him, Beebee-Ate."

BB-8 chirped that he would before cooing at Halla and nudging her leg. Halla bent down and rested a hand on his domed head briefly.

"It's time," she murmured, standing again. "You better remember to holo me this time!"

Poe grinned, though it was a struggle. "Count on it, laserbrain."

Last time he'd watched her leave. This time she got to watch him as his X-wing rose and he gave her one final wave as he shot off into the sky.


	3. Part 3

Us Against the Galaxy

By: Katerinaki

Published: 02/24/2016

Beta'ed: No

Notes: I've gotten such overwhelming support for this OC and many requests to continue on, even though it was never my intention when I posted the first section. Because of your wonderful support, I've written another part to this story. I hope to write one more in conjunction with this, though I can't promise it will be soon. But still, thank you all for your reviews and favorites. May I present, Part 3 of Us Against the Galaxy!

Part 3:

After everything that had happened, it was strange for Poe to see the green treetops of his homeworld virtually untouched. Everything was different. He was different. After the intelligence garnered from his trip into the Imperial Remnant, the galaxy was different. And yet here, on Yavin 4, everything was the same. There was The Diner, still running a steady business despite the owner's best efforts. And over there was the junkyard where he'd found most of his best replacement parts. The same people he'd grown up with mingled around on the streets and paused to look up as his X-wing flew over town and landed in the hangar.

BB-8 was first out of the Starfighter, even before Poe really completed the power-down sequences. The little droid had been excited to see his master's homeworld. Poe hadn't been back since his academy days, before he and BB-8 had even been introduced. BB-8 whistled and chirped as he rolled around the hangar, examining everything even though this hangar was much like all the other ones they'd landed in over the years.

Poe chuckled. "Calm down, Beebee-Ate."

His droid huffed and continued on his exploration.

As Poe climbed out of his X-wing and looked around the old hangar that had served the Rebellion long ago, he couldn't help but feel pride and belonging. He'd fantasized about this for years; being an ace fighter pilot and landing in this very hangar with a Starfighter of his own. He'd imagined more cheering and thumps on the back, but still, the hangar almost seemed to echo with the memories of celebrations past.

BB-8 chirped at him as if to say "Hurry up already!". He was by the door and ready to leave.

"Alright, I'm coming."

Everything was the same, and yet Poe knew that this leave would be different.

The family landspeeder awaited them just outside of the hangar. Poe's father, Kes Dameron, smiled as he climbed out to greet his son. His dark hair was almost entirely gray now, and he walked with a slight limp, courtesy of an old war-wound acting up in his old age. Kes Dameron had grown more reserved in his age, especially after losing his wife, but he still greeted Poe as he always did, with a strong hug and a hearty "Welcome home". Kes looked over his son's flight suit, his eyes catching on the new insignia on his breast.

" _Commander_ , huh?"

Poe grinned. "Just happened this week."

It had been a surprise for him too, though BB-8 insisted _he_ wasn't surprised. Commander Sayned had called him to the ready room again and Poe was almost positive he was going on another secret mission and part of him hoped he'd get to see Halla again. Instead, he'd found all of Sabre Squadron and Captain Shaasa waiting for him.

"Lieutenant, front and center," Commander Sayned ordered, and Poe had hurried to.

"Lieutenant Dameron," Captain Shaasa addressed him. "You have acquitted yourself with the highest level of courage and bravery in defense of the New Republic. The Senate of the New Republic, with the recommendation of the Grand Admiral of the New Republic Defense Fleet, does hereby promote you to Commander, effective immediately."

The entire squadron cheered and Poe heard BB-8 loudest of them all as they pinned his new insignia on his flight suit. He renewed his oath and there were words from Commander Sayned as well as a short, muddled speech from himself, but Poe didn't remember much more after that. His squadron had taken him out for a drink and he woke up the next morning half-wedged into the astromech socket of Gunkev's fighter down to his skivvies. Later that day he'd gotten his orders. He'd be the new commander of Rapier Squadron, but first he had a week-long leave.

"Congratulations," Kes told him. "Your mom would be proud."

Poe flew the speeder as they left town, Kes in the passenger seat and BB-8 nestled in the back. When they'd arrived home at last, Poe half expected Halla to run out from the tree line to greet him, only to remind himself that she was out on some sort of training mission again. At least they were keeping in touch more. Poe made sure he sent her a message at least every week, and he usually got a response back within a few days. Master Skywalker had given her a group of younger padawans to train and for all they seemed to be testing her patience, Poe could hear the fondness in her voice as she talked about Zaan's saber form and Borka's control of the Force. None of it made much sense to Poe, but he was happy she was enjoying it, in her own way.

The tree in the garden was in the full bloom of spring, it's branches reaching out to almost touch the corner of the roof. The rest of the garden could've used a bit of work, but the tree remained cherished and flourishing at the heart of the garden. Poe found himself walking towards the tree, almost like he was on a slowly shortening tether until he stood once more beneath his branches as the gentle wind rippled, knocking down flower petals. BB-8 looked up at his master and hummed a question.

"It was given to us, by Master Skywalker," Poe answered. "It used to grow in the heart of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, before the Empire." Poe reached out to run his fingers over the bark as he'd watched Halla do so many times in their youth. Her fascination with the tree made sense, after they'd discovered both she and the tree were Force-sensitive. Poe always wondered what she felt when she touched it. To him, it had always been just bark.

"Poe, I've got dinner ready," Kes called, and Poe snatched his hand back like he was a young boy again and touching something he wasn't supposed to. The tree had never really been off-limits, but he remembered being told that he had to be gentle. Always gentle.

After dinner he found himself once more out, sitting beneath the tree. It was like he couldn't help it. Every time he stepped away, his mind would rush to Halla and he'd think about all the time they'd spend together until his chest would ache and his hand would hover over the comm unit, about to call but reminding himself she wouldn't pick up anyways. She was meant to be out on a mission. He felt pathetic, sitting out under the tree wrapped up in the past when he should have been taking this time to spend with his father. His father was not growing younger and Poe was spending more and more time away.

"Snap out of it, Dameron," he muttered, at last getting up to join his father in the house. There they talked about flying and politics, and all manner of things. Poe permitted one question about Halla's well-being before carefully steering the conversation in other directions. It was hours later when Kes finally admitted he was tired and went to bed.

The wind was picking up outside, a tell-tale sign that a storm was likely coming on. Kes asked him to ensure the tarps were pulled down on the swoops and the old A-wing interceptor before retiring himself. As Poe stepped outside, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled, like they did when he knew he had an enemy fighter on his tale. He glanced around but the garden was dark and Poe was the only one out there. Even BB-8 had gone to find himself a nice corner in which to power-down. Despite the dark, Poe picked his way across the yard, his feet confident in the path he'd taken so many times before. The swoops were fine and the A-wing could use a little work, but that could wait until the morning.

As Poe head back for the house, he got that feeling again and his hand itched for his blaster that he'd left in the house. He picked up his pace, knowing he was probably being stupid, but he couldn't help the instincts years of flying and fighting had built. He was almost to the house when he halted again. Something was definitely wrong.

He'd never felt anything from the tree before, but as Poe passed under its branches, he was overwhelmed by this feeling of _wrong_. There was no other way to describe it. Poe hurried over to check the tree, wanting to make sure the winds wouldn't damage it. They never had before; the roots were deep and strong. It wasn't until Poe's fingers touched the bark that he gasped, falling to his knees.

Pain and fear ripped through him, unlike any he'd felt before, and it was coming from the tree. It sounded crazy, and if Poe didn't know the tree was Force-sensitive, he'd thought he was going insane. With a heave he wrenched his hand from the tree and the sensation faded to the background, but Poe could still feel the echoes all around him. It's what contributed to the feeling that he'd had since coming outside. Poe looked up at the tree and for the first time he felt afraid of it. Not afraid _for_ it, but of what it could do. This was bigger than him, and he wasn't a Jedi. This wasn't for him to figure out.

"I'll call Halla in the morning," he assured himself as he stood and hurried back into the house. He repeated it over and over in his head as he prepared for bed and tried to get some sleep. _I'll call Halla. She'll know what to do. She's a Jedi. I'll call Halla._

* * *

Pain. So much pain and anguish. She had felt pain before, but never like this. All around her was pain and suffering. She heard Zaan's desperate calls for help answered by Borka's frightened cry, silenced prematurely. The Force roiled and surged about her, dark and desperate as her fellow Jedi fought and died all around her. It was too much to take and she screamed as a flash of red rent her in two.

It could have been days, weeks, months, or years before Halla's eyes burst open, her lungs panting. Each gulp of air burned her back and sides. It was dark and Halla scrambled to find a light, only for her hand to close around the familiar hilt of her lightsaber. She thumbed the activator and the soft green blade sprang to life, reminding her then as it always had of the sun hitting the green trees on Yavin 4. Before it had always brought her reassurance and calm. But now it only served to illuminate the grisly scene around her.

They were dead. All of them. Just a few meters away lay Zaan, his practice blade just out of reach where it had fallen from his grasp. He was sliced from shoulder to hip and the blackened, charred wound still smoked. He was only twelve, but now his expressive yellow eyes stared lifeless and accusing. Why did you let them kill me? Why, when I was your student, your responsibility, your friend? She pushed herself up as her back burst into flame and her arms shook with weakness. Instinctively, Halla called on the Force for assistance and it answered, but with it came the lingering pain and fear of hundreds caught unawares. Betrayed, and murdered. She pushed that thought away. There wasn't time to think about why this happened. She had to leave, to warn someone, anyone.

Halla slowly staggered to her feet by sheer willpower, relying on all of her training to release the pain into the Force. By all accounts she should be dead like the others, but by the will of the Force she was not. As she dragged herself through the now dark, cold corridors, only focused on was finding a ship. She couldn't look down at the bodies around her. She took care not to stare too long at any one, lest she recognize yet another student, yet another close friend, and lost all of the little strength she'd mustered. Hallways that had been so short before now felt leagues longer. Her ears prickled, listening for any indication that someone else moved around the academy, a fellow Jedi or one of their lingering attackers. At each intersection she paused, but there was not a single soul. They were gone.

Groaning, Halla pulled herself up into one of the small, single-person fighters. Her hands flew over the controls, running through the start of sequence even as her vision blurred and her head swam. She wasn't thinking about what she was doing, merely letting her body do the things it knew from years of practice. When she lifted off and left the burnt out shell of the academy behind, it was as if the ship itself was on autopilot. When she made the jump to hyperspace, she didn't remember which coordinates she entered, only that she knew they meant safety.

* * *

Poe sat once more at their usual table at The Diner, nursing a cup of Jawa juice and a nerf burger as he had plenty of times before. Some of the other patrons had made a big show when he'd come in, thumping him on the back and exclaiming how big he's gotten and where was that little girl who always hung around before? Poe nodded and grinned and returned handshakes, avoiding any of the questions about Halla as he made his way to their table where the Oko'ma was already setting his usual with a bright smile and a sly pat on his shoulder. Poe made a show of sitting down and savoring the first few bites before the other patrons seemed to believe that everything was back to how it should be and they soon forgot about him once more. Truthfully, though, Poe wasn't sure why he'd chosen to come to this place. He'd tried to reach Halla on the comm that morning, but there had only been static. Perhaps they were experiencing a solar flare or a meteor shower, he'd reasoned. However, he just couldn't shake the feeling he'd had the night before that something wasn't right. He felt like Halla, all those times she'd murmured "I have a bad feeling about this" just before they found themselves at the business-end of a blaster, or knee deep in bantha poodoo. Being unable to reach her, maybe he thought coming here, where they'd spent so much time together, would help?

Poe was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the commotion when it started. It wasn't until Oko'ma nudged him that he finally looked up and realized the others were exiting the diner quickly.

"What's going on?"

"Ship's coming in hot and dark," Oko'ma replied. "They picked it up on the scanners. A fighter."

Being an operating spaceport and a former rebel base, there was no shortage of fighter pilots around to intercept the unknown ship. Poe was entirely not needed, but that didn't stop him from running out with the others, squinting into the sky to spot the incoming ship. Coming in hot and dark usually meant only one thing, an attack. Friendly ships identified themselves and although there were more than a few hot-shot pilots around who probably thought it would be great fun to buzz the tower, most of them knew better than to do that here. As Poe caught sight of the incoming vessel, he was sure this wasn't a case of some young pilot not knowing the rules. The ship's angle was too steep and its heat shields were the only thing protecting it from bursting into a flying pile of ash in the atmosphere.

As the fighter descended, it soon became clear that the pilot wasn't planning on landing in the hangar. Poe sprinted for his landspeeder as he mentally traced the ship's trajectory. Wherever this sucker came down, he was going to be there with a blaster and a hearty welcome. He flew off into the woods, zigzagging through the trees like he had so many years ago. Overhead the fighter drew even with him before pulling ahead, hurtling down into the canopy. Poe followed the carnage away from town, only slowing down when he at last came to the new clearing the ship had created in its crash-landing. As he came across the flaming wreck, Poe couldn't help but be impressed. The ship was still mostly intact and lying on its side in a trench. He was expecting something more explosive. Still, Poe approached the wreck warily, his blaster in hand as he moved around towards the cockpit. He glanced over the fighter itself, looking for other damage not caused by the crash, but the ship was in decent shape. Not even an old blaster mark. When he came around the front and found the cockpit still closed and the pilot nowhere in sight, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled and Poe took the safety off his blaster. Reaching around under the left wing, he managed to find the emergency release and the cock pit sprang open, releasing a cloud of thick, acrid smoke.

Poe's heart stopped when he saw the pilot slumped over in the seat.

"Halla!"

Abandoning all thoughts of safety or caution, Poe clambered over the still mostly intact wing of the ship where his friend lay slumped partially over the side. She was unconscious, bloody, and there was a nasty wound across her back. Gingerly, Poe wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her from the wreckage. He cradled her to his chest as he started to climb down and then he heard the high-pitched whine that preceded a blaster cannon overload. He leapt the last meter and managed to make it behind a tree before the whole ship exploded. Durasteel shrapnel embedded itself in the tree, but never made it to them. Poe felt the force of the concussion and staggered, but managed to keep his feet, sheltering Halla from the worst of it. As he looked over his shoulder, the ship was gone. A fiery husk was all that remained among scattered fragments. No doubt some scavenger would be around and find something of use, but the ship itself would never fly again.

Halla was still unconscious against his chest and Poe would've thought her dead, if he didn't see the shallow rise and fall of her chest. She needed a medic, now. Poe hurried to his landspeeder, which had thankfully been beyond the blast radius. He took only a moment to gently lay her in the passenger's seat when something fell out of her tunic onto the ground. Poe reached down and picked up the cool, silver hilt. He recognized it of course, and tucked it into his own jacket before hurrying around to the other side and speeding off back towards town. He wanted to take her home, but there wasn't enough kolto there to deal with what he saw.

The medic in town was an old friend of both of them. Vala Jinzle had been around when the Alliance made Yavin 4 their base and never left. She'd seen it all, from scraped knees to severed limbs, and Poe and Halla had been some of her best customers in their formative years. Flying high-speed swoops through the jungle tended to come with its fair share of injuries. Poe pulled his ship right up to the front of her modest clinic, barely waiting for the landspeeder to come to a full stop before he was out and carefully removing Halla from the passenger seat. She was still unconscious and Poe didn't like her pallor nor the blue shade of her lips and fingers. He'd seen enough shock in his time with the Republic Fleet to know the symptoms, and what happened if they weren't treated. He shoved the door open with this shoulder, stumbling in to the shock of the patients waiting in reception.

"Vala!" he called.

The Sullustan receptionist fluttered around the desk. "Sir, you need to—"

"She's dying!" Poe growled. "Get Vala. Tell her Poe Dameron needs her."

"But sir—"

"Now!" he commanded, throwing every bit of authority he could muster behind the word.

The Sullustan scrambled into the back to the wide-eyed bewilderment of the other patients. A few moments later, Vala herself burst through the doors. She looked a good deal shorter than he remembered and her hair was entirely gray, but she still bore that no-nonsense attitude as she spotted him immediately, and Halla in his arms.

"Bring her back, now," Vala ordered and Poe followed like a good soldier. Vala already had her team scrambling before Poe even set Halla gently on a gurney.

"What happened?" Vala demanded as she set to work cutting away the burnt clothing, while her assistants flurried around her like bees around their queen.

"She crashed her ship," Poe said. "I saw her coming in. She didn't even try to land. I didn't know it was Halla. She was unconscious before I got to her."

Vala examined the large, angry gash across Halla's back, picking out pieces of melted clothing and applying generous amounts of kolto in her wake.

"This wound wasn't caused by a blaster. I haven't seen anything like this in a long time. Almost thirty years!" She fixed Poe with an accusing glare. "What aren't you telling me?"

Poe threw his hands up. "That's all I know! Halla shouldn't even be here. She's supposed to be training with Master Skywalker. She…" He trailed off as his eyes traced the straight line of burnt flesh. He'd never actually seen a lightsaber wound up close before, but it was easy to imagine the ionized energy blade carving through flesh, leaving behind a cauterized hole.

"You think a _lightsaber_ did this? A Jedi?"

"The last lightsaber wound I saw wasn't caused by a Jedi." Vala looked down at her patient, though it seemed like she wasn't truly seeing what she was doing, merely working as she had for decades. Halla groaned, the first sound Poe had heard her make, and it seemed to snap Vala out of her thoughts.

"Go," she shooed him away. "You're just getting in my way back here. I'm sure there is something you could be doing instead."

Poe wanted to protest, but Vala was already pushing him back out the door and the Sullustan was back, a scowl on his face after the commotion Poe had caused. He gestured Poe to a chair in the waiting room before returning to his desk to answer the comm. Poe collapsed into a chair, his mind spinning as he thought of Vala's words and what she'd been implying. If Halla, a Jedi, had been attacked with a lightsaber, there were very few who would've done it.

 _'No, Dameron, don't jump to conclusions_ ,' he scolded himself. Halla would make it through, and when she woke up she could tell him what happened. Maybe it was an accident, or a mission gone bad. Poe had his fair share of those. It was stupid to force puzzle pieces together without all the facts.

Poe clasped his hands together and set his elbows on his knees, trying to keep himself steady and relaxed. He glanced over to his right where a little boy waited with his mother, watching Poe and cradling his arm to his chest.

"What happened?" Poe asked gently.

"I fell off my speeder bike," the boy replied, "and hurt my arm. Mom says I was going too fast."

Poe laughed, though it felt forced and there was a barely restrained edge to it. "My father says I fly too fast too," he told the little boy.

"Is your friend going to be okay?" he asked.

Poe looked at the plain doors, almost as if he could see Halla through them. "I hope so," he said at last.

"Me too," the boy agreed.

Hours passed. The little boy went in the back and had his wrist set before coming back out again and smiling and waving to Poe as he left. Other came in, were seen, and left too until Poe was the only one still remaining in the waiting room. The Sullustan receptionist seemed to warm up to him the longer he stayed and even got him a cup of caf from the break room. Poe hadn't ever really enjoyed the beverage, but he was thankful for something to hold in his hands. His anxiety was growing the longer he waited with no word.

At last Vala pushed open the door and gestured for him to come with her. He followed, uncertain of what he'd see. His mind pictured a lifeless corpse but when he finally saw Halla again she appeared to be sleeping. She was still a bit pale, but not nearly as bad as she had been when he'd brought her in.

"She won't die, yet," Vala said. "But she will need rest and time to heal. I'll give you a few moments, but then I want you home, do you understand?"

"Yes," Poe said, not taking his eyes from Halla's peaceful face. He reached down to move a lock of hair away from her chin but his hand froze inches away and he eventually settled for taking her hand. To his shock, her fingers twitched and her eyes slowly blinked open.

* * *

Halla was groggy when she opened her eyes again, but at least she didn't feel pain. The lights were bright and she had to blink a few times to let her eyes adjust. When her vision focused at last, Poe was standing over her and he looked extraordinarily relieved.

"Halla? Halla, are you alright?"

Surprisingly, she felt alright. Everything felt disconnected, as if she was outside of her body. Some part of her mind said she should be in pain, that she was hurt and weak but she couldn't feel it. Where was she anyways? And why was Poe there? Her mind felt muddled and slow and she tried to piece together what had happened.

"Poe? What are you—where am I?"

"You're on Yavin 4. You're home."

Yavin 4?

"How?"

Poe frowned. "You flew here, or well, more like crashed here. Do you not remember anything?"

Halla looked around and recognized the Vala's clinic from many years ago. She hadn't expected such familiar surroundings, and she definitely hadn't expected to see Poe standing over her, holding her hand. Halla tried to search through her memories, trying to piece together what she _had_ been expecting. Darkness and death, strangers in black masks who cut them down, and one who was familiar, wielding a blue blade with such hatred and anger she'd never seen before.

All of it came back at once. The attack on the academy. Hearing the screams, feeling the pain and confusion of her fellow Jedi, and seeing Zaan's lifeless corpse staring back at her in accusation.

"No," she breathed, her distress rising, her grief rearing its head as more and more terrible memories came to her mind. Tears welled up in her eyes as the emotions overwhelmed her training and she let out an anguished sob.

Poe reached for her, gripping her hand tighter as he tried to soothe her.

"Shh, you're okay now," he murmured to her, his fingers brushing through her hair.

But she shook her head. "They're gone. They're all dead."

"Who?"

"The Jedi," Halla choked out. "They killed them all."

Poe's eyes widened, but he stayed calm, pressing because he knew that she wouldn't rest until she told him, told someone.

"Who killed them?"

"The ones in the black masks with the red lightsabers."

"The Sith? Have the Sith returned?"

But Halla shook her head. "I don't know. It all happened so fast. He…he betrayed us. He let them in, he _helped_ them."

Poe's eyes blazed. "Who, Halla? Who did this?"

Halla squeezed her eyes shut, as if she could block out the memories like she blocked out the light. It didn't help though. He still stood before her, dressed head-to-toe in black, his blue lightsaber crackling as his eyes burned with hatred. He showed them where to go. He led them in the massacre. Halla didn't want to believe it, but the memory was there, right before her eyes. There was no denial.

"Ben."


End file.
